Saga of the HalfBreed
by Jeralt Williams
Summary: In this radical re imagining of the Balto universe Balto is a young man hated and feared by the citizen's of Nome,Alaska for his wolf-like features, and reviled by the Wolves for his human side. He has only one thing he is proud of... his ability to kill
1. Prologue

The moon is shining down on me as I dash across the rooftops of Nome, Alaska on this cloudless night. I'm on top of the town hall, I can see for miles up here. There isn't a light on in the whole town so the view of the buildings, few over two stories tall, is... breathtaking.

I can see the hotel standing three stories tall in front of me and a sizable gap between us,with a final burst of speed I leap!

I can feel the wind as it catches in the scarf I always wear as I soar through the air, legs still pumping. About halfway I start to lose altitude, i can see a balcony on the second floor rushing towards me.I reach out with my hands and grab onto the railing.I hang there for just a second and there pull myself up into a handstand.

I hold myself there for a minute, enjoying the danger and excitement and the feeling of every muscle in my body working in perfect harmony,suddenly I flex my muscles bringing my self down until my nose is touching the banister and push off with all my strength!

I travel upwards, feet first, as my trajectory brings me well over the roof of the hotel.I somersault in the air and land on my feet, bending my knees to absorb the impact.

I stand up straight, panting from exertion and look back at the town hall, all the way on the other side of main street!

I bend down on one knee to take a rest, and I do what I always do on these many nights I can't sleep,I think.I think about my life (if you can call it that) my training, but most of all...I think about where I come from.


	2. Chapter 1

Boris always tell me there was a blizzard the night he found me nineteen years ago. Of course found is a pretty light term for what happened, a ship had docked at the harbor the other night badly damaged,and he was on his way to see if there was work available repairing the ship.

The harbor is a collection of warehouses and some piers just outside of you can see it from town but because of the snow that night it wasn't possible to see a foot in front of you.A normal person wouldn't have been able to make it,but Boris is far from normal.

Whenever I ask him to tell me about that night he always tells me that as soon as he saw the ship he knew something was was even more badly damaged than before! The cabin was just...gone and the ship was sitting in the water near vertical.

As he got closer he found out why,a huge hole had been torn in the back of the ship and water was flooding in!Walking out on the pier to get a better look Boris made an even more startling discovery there was blood on the deck...a LOT of together these signs could just be interpreted as a horrible accident except for one thing, there was magic in the air, recent magic, powerful magic.

A horrific battle had been fought here and recently. At this realization Boris reached into his coat and puled out the tan-to he always carries and began to methodically search every building. He moved with extreme caution darting from shadow to shadow every sense magical and mundane alert. Whatever had gone on there had decimated nearly the entire harbor. Entire buildings had collapsed and those that were at least partially intact had huge holes in almost every wall, and long deep gouges in solid stone!

Then finally in an alleyway between two large warehouses Boris came across the site of the final battle and a terrible sight met his eyes. A man tall and sinewy was sprawled out on the ground, horribly maimed. Boris could already tell he was dead, his stomach was almost completely torn out. His face was unrecognizable, like someone had gone out of there way to destroy it.

Even someone like Boris who had seen many terrible things since he was a child was shocked by the brutality of this man's death. All this information was processed in a split second and then Boris brought his eyes to focus on the gigantic white wolf just a few feet away from the man on its side. Upon closer inspection he saw that it was still breathing.

He didn't know what to think, had this wolf attacked the man? No, the magical energy he was sensing was absolutely massive. No wolf no matter how large could kill a spell-caster that powerful.

Warily he crept forward to get a better look at the wolf, it was lying on its stomach as if it was running when it received the gash in its side from neck to tail. He could already tell the wound was fatal, the blade that had done this had cut deep enough to destroy the liver. The wolf was dead it was just a matter of when.

Suddenly the wolfs eyes burst open to reveal yellow luminescent eyes that came to focus on Boris! With a rush of adrenaline he gripped the tan-to firmly and and prepared a burst of his Talent to carry him into the air, anticipating a fight. But before he could, the wolf spoke!

"Help" it said, its voice filled with pain.

"You... you speak!" he replied dumbstruck.

"He...lp...please" it repeated.

And like that years of training took over and Boris hardened himself to cold facts. "The wound is to deep, I cant help you except put you out of your misery."

"Not ...me" the wolf said and with what must have been the last of its strength she rolled over to reveal a... child. "My son...please...help."

Boris was to shocked for words as he drew near and took the child, a little boy into his thats when he noticed the child had...distinguishing features. Specifically large, yellow,luminescent eyes and wolves teeth a full mouth of them.

The wolf spoke again each word more difficult than the last, her time was drawing near. "I know ...what...are...I sensed...Talent...please my son, save... him teach him." Boris was to shocked.

"If you know about the Talent, then you know what I am and you know that this life is hard and dangerous and only for the strong." The wolf looked at him with pleading eyes and said "he will...be...stro...ng,I n-n-na...me...Balto."

And with that the wolf died her last words being my looked down at the defenseless child in his arms and said "it would be better if I killed you, wherever you go you will be hated and feared, never love."

Boris always tells me he stood there for a long time wondering what to do, when finally he looked up to the sky in resignation and said "Aaaaahhhhhh, spirits damn me I won't kill a helpless child, though I've done worse in my time." With that he bundled the baby... me into his coat and vanished into the night.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Suddenly I'm woken from my daydreams by the sound of a door slamming shut on the street below me, instinctively I duck down to make myself a smaller target, while straightening my right arm allowing the tan-to up my sleeve to drop down into my firm grip. I always did like the tan-to. Its thin narrow blade makes it easy to conceal, while the fact that its double edged means I can strike from almost any angle, because of its short length it takes a lot of skill to wield effectively but the fact that it was created for assassination makes it an equally effective weapon for self defense in the right hands.

Ready for action, I cautiously peek out over the edge of the building to see what's going on. Its just Mr. Johnson opening up his restaurant in anticipation of the crowds the races bring. "Wait, why is he opening up his store? What time is it?" I think to my self. It's then I notice the warmth seeping over me, the sun is up, it must be almost seven o'clock. "Oh, shit! The sleigh! I was supposed to finish that last night, Boris is gonna kill me!"

I take off across the rooftops towards the shop on the edge of town. I learned a long time ago when you look like me, the safest way to move around is on the rooftops, and with a little practice its also the most fun. Nothing can slow me down, with leaps and bounds I sail across gaps, up walls, over fences. Desperately trying to make it back in time.

"Where the fuck is that boy?" I think to my self as I watch the entire Rozenweig family enter my small shop. "When he shows up I'm gonna kill him." Hes lucky I got up in time to finish Rosies sleigh, Mathias already doesn't like him, no reason to give him another reason to hate his guts.

Mathias, the mayor of Nome enters first, followed by his wife, Anna Rozenweig. "Is it ready Boris?" he asks.

"As it'll ever be." I say to the mountain of man in front of me. Anyone else would be intimidated by a guy as big as him, tall broad shouldered, with fiery red hair and green eyes, but I've killed men bigger than him with my bare hands before.

"Anna, bring her in." he says. As she walks out the door, I wonder to myself how a woman like her fell for Mathias. She's small and timid, never saying an ill word about anyone. I guess its true that opposites attract. Then in comes the birthday girl herself, little Rosie with her fathers red hair and her mothers quiet nature. She's got a blindfold on and she is literally bouncing with excitement as she is led in by the hand, by the eldest Rozenweig sister.

"No peeking now Rosie." commands Jenna. Despite my feelings about Mathias, I can't help but like Jenna and Rosie.

Then Mathias speaks. "Where is it, Boris?"

"In the back." I reply. "Balto just finished it last night, or this morning I should say, he was exhausted." The look on that smug bastards face is priceless.

"He worked on it!" he nearly shouts, but not quite, doesn't want to ruin his little girl birthday, does he? Jenna and Anna notice something is up though, and Jenna makes her way closer to the counter to investigate

"He didn't just work on it, he built the whole thing." I reply, a little angrily. "I taught him everything he knows, its good. I'm certain."

Mathias leans across the counter with a dangerous look in his eyes and says. "I don't want my daughter on anything that THING made!" Before I can reply, Jenna does it for me.

"Daddy! Thats not fair, just because he looks different, thats no excuse to talk about him like that!" Well it seems one of the Rozenweig sisters got there fathers temper. I can tell he's shocked by this angry outburst. But before he can respond she continues. "And mister Boris is the best carpenter in town, and he says it fine so it must be fine and...and..."

Before this goes any further I break in. "Is this really a good time to have this discussion?" I say, gesturing towards the other side of the store where Rosie still has her eyes covered, oblivious to what's going on just a few feet from her. "Look, Mathias the sleigh is fine I promise. And if it doesn't meet with your standards then I'll rebuild it for free."

Mathias considers this for a minute then says. "All right, but I'll hold you to it Boris. Bring it on out."

I go to the back room and bring it out front, while the Rozenweigs tell Rosie that no she can't "open them yet." Stealthy as can be I set the sleigh down gently in front of her and step back.

"Alright Rosie, you can open them now." says Jenna gently. And when she does her eyes get wide and she squeals in delight.

"Its just what I always wanted." she says, as she jumps up and down in delight. Running her hand over the hold-bar she says "Its beautiful." And it is. Balto really did a great job, and I'm glad because if he'd fucked it up there wouldn't have been time to fix it when I found it this morning. I find my self admiring it, the wood is perfectly smooth and stained to perfection, theres even carving's of sled teams on the side and her name is engraved on the hold-bar.

"When the did he get the time to do that?" I wonder to myself, as I watch Mathias meticulously go over every inch of the sleigh.

Finally he stands up with an annoyed expression on his face and says "Everything seems to be in order." As he reaches into his coat and pulls out his wallet. I very nearly burst out laughing right there. But that would be a mistake, so instead I opt for one last smart comment.

"I'm glad that it meets with your approval, Mayor." I say sarcastically. He looks like he's about to take a swing at me when Rosie says.

"Can I hook up Max to it?" she pleads and he smiles.

"Of course sweetheart, but first you need one last thing." he says, and pulls a miniature mushers hat from his coat, and places it snugly on her head.

"A real sledders hat!" she cries out in delight, as she rushes out the door into the snow, with Jenna right behind her. I hear her yell out "Max! Come here boy!" Then I look at Mathias and see the adoring look on his face, and chuckle at the thought that despite his size that little girl has him wrapped around her finger.

Anna takes his arm and looks up at her husband, smiling and says. "She seems to like it."

Mathias looks at me and with a perfectly stoic expression, says "Yes, thank you Boris." And calmly walks out of my shop. Then the hysterics come as I think about the look on his face, as I'm wiping the tears from my eyes, I'm startled by something, no, someone dropping from the rafters right in front of me.

I go for the dagger in my belt, readying a burst of my Talent to kill this intruder. When suddenly he reaches out, and calmly grabs my wrist stopping me from pulling my dagger. But then he... chuckles! "Balto! Damn boy you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

I can see his eyes light as he smiles. "Well you shouldn't have let me get this close without detecting me, if I had been an assassin you would be dead, old man." he says cheekily.

"Don't get cocky, you might have caught me by surprise but I could still teach you a thing or two in a real fight." I reply a little embarrassed at having been caught off guard. "Besides, can you blame me for thinking you were an assassin, I mean look at how your dressed."

Its true, he's wearing all black, boots, pants, a button up shirt and a black scarf pulled up over his nose. Thats it, no coat or gloves, the cold has never bothered him in the slightest.

Then I realize something else. "How long were you up there?" I ask. He pulls down the scarf to reveal the rest of his face, he's not smiling now.

"Long enough." he replies, with a sad look on his face.

He turns away from me to look out the wide window in the front of my shop. As I stand there trying to think of something to reassure him. Then it hits me, "You know Jenna was very quick to defend your work." I say coyly.

"So what?" he looks at me questionably.

"Just seems to me that maybe you have one friend in this town."

"She's never actually met me, but trust me one look at these and she'll run just like the rest of them." he says as he bares his teeth. Dressed in all black with his large, yellow eyes and his wolfish teeth bared, he's a terrifying sight, indeed.

"I don't know, she doesn't seem like the type to judge by outward appearance." I persist.

He makes a kind of barking sound I've come to learn is him laughing, and says. "All people judge by outward appearance, even you took one look at how I was dressed and assumed I was an assassin."

"Look all I'm saying is give her a chance, you might be surprised." he snorts and goes back to watching the snow fall, out the window. I feel a familiar anger coming to the surface as I think about how every person in this whole damn town has treated him since that night I found him.

"They turned him into this, this cynical, pessimist of a person. I hate them, everyone of them." I think to myself. Then I remember the way Jenna was so angry at her father, and smiling I think "Maybe not everyone."


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"You want to get some sleep?" Boris asks me after a few minutes.

"Nah, I still have another two days before my next sleep cycle." I reply. Another side effect of what I am, a normal person has to sleep eight hours every twenty-four hours, well I only have to sleep eight hours every two weeks!

"So let me guess, you want to take the day off to go see the races, huh?" Says Boris. I turn around to look at him, smiling.

"You got something better for me to do?" I say. He shakes his head and sighs then looks up, smirking.

"No, I guess not," he says. "Besides your chances of 'accidently" bumping into Jenna are much better there, than here." He teases. I just shake my head in exasperation.

"Doubtful, considering I'll be on the rooftops, like always." Boris just looks at me and smiles.

"Well, you never know, something might happen."

"I would never blow my cover. I'm not am amateur, Boris." I say, insulted.

"Son, you would be amazed what a man will do to impress a pretty girl," he says with a smirk. I don't even bother to respond to that, I just leave. I walk out the door into the snow pulling my scarf up over my nose, concealing the bottom half of my face, I look both ways to make sure nobodies around. I'm good, every body is at the races.

I take off, across the street to the general store, using my momentum I wall-run up it and grab onto the edge of the roof, finally I pull my self up. After making sure nobody saw me I begin to make my way towards main street. I set a steady pace and as I get closer I can hear the crowd of people that always gather for the race. I love the races, I'm sure I could win... if they'd let me compete. The idea of surviving out there in the wasteland, with nothing but what I could carry on my back, has always thrilled me.

Suddenly, a flare goes up in the distance, bright enough that its visible even in the morning light. "The one mile marker!" I think excitedly to myself. "Better hurry if I want to catch the finish!" I take off at full speed, there's a large gap between the next house and the one I'm on. I could jump it, but that would be tiring, so instead I opt for a less strenuous route. There's a long board propped up against the wall of the roof I'm on, just barely reaching above the edge of the roof. "This is gonna be fun."

Without slowing down I step onto the edge of the board and my momentum causes it to gravitate towards the house in front of me. While I ride it across the gap. I step off almost casually once I reach the other side and take off again. A few more seconds and I'm there, standing on Mr. Johnson's restaurant looking down on main street, oblivious to the crowds below me. Just then the racers, on horseback round the corner and make there way towards the finish line at top speed.

Steele is in the lead, as usual. He's racing hard pushing his horse to its limit. I always thought it was funny how Steele raced horses, considering he's like me...well one-half of me. Even in the middle of a race as close as this he still has time smile and wink at some ladies in the crowd, who swoon and sigh as if he were the spirits gift to women. "What a ham." I think to myself.

I take a cursory glance towards the finish line, about a hundred yards down the road, when I see Jenna and Rosie at the side of the road watching the pack of fast approaching racers get closer and closer to the finish line. Rosie is waving her new sledders hat in the air and cheering at the top of her lungs, "Come on Steele!"

"Crap, she's one of **them**." I think irritated. Interestingly Jenna seems much less enthusiastic about the race. Then a quick burst of wind suddenly snatches the hat from Rosie's hands, and blows it out in the street, right in the path of the racers!

She tries to rush out in the street to get it, but Jenna grabs her hand as she yells out, "My hat!" Without thinking I pull a completely amateurish move...I blow my cover. I somersault out over the edge of the building landing on the edge of the track, just as the racers pass me. Some ladies behind me scream out, can't say I blame them. I didn't take any time to change from earlier and I know that in all black, at six-foot two I look pretty intimidating. I tune out the cries of dismay from the townspeople as I sprint full speed, trying to make it to that stupid little hat before it's trampled.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." I think to myself. But then I give up conscience thought and focus solely on my objective the hat, just like Boris taught me. I imagine I can hear him now. _"When you take a contract nothing else matters but the target,"_ I hear him say "_Everything else is a secondary objective, your cover, your team, even your own life. Nothing matters but completing the contract. Nothing."_ Okay, not exactly an assassination but the concept applies.

Normally a horse would just barely be able to keep up with me, but they did have a pretty good head start. So at ten yards to go I'm neck-and-neck with Steele himself. "Just what do you think you're doing half-breed." He snarls at me, as he raises his riders whip to strike. But I see it coming and with a burst of strength I jump forward and to the side just trying to reach the hat. The whole world seems to slow as I somersault just a few feet in front of the pack racers, who certainly won't lose any sleep if they trample me. As my momentum carries me towards the other side of the street I reach down in mid-somersault and snatch the hat from the ground, landing safely on my feet at the very edge of the track, seconds before the spot it was just lying is ran over by about a dozen mounted riders. As soon as they pass I take a second to catch my breath and then quickly make my way across the street towards Jenna and Rosie. I almost burst out laughing at the shock on their face, but instead I kneel down in front of Rosie.

"You should keep a tighter hold on this," I find myself saying as I hold out the hat towards her. I don't think she fully grasps what I just did until she looks down at sledders hat in my hand. I half expect her to say she doesn't want it now that I've touched it, at best I expect her to snatch it and leave without so much as a thank you, but instead she does the last thing I would ever expect.

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" She says as she throws her arms around my neck. I have absolutely no idea how to respond to this, I'm still thinking of what to say when Jenna interrupts.

"You must be Balto," she says, but not...in the way most people do, not in a scared sort of way, but...curious.

"Um...y-y-yes I-I-I am." I stammer out, trying not to stare. She really is beautiful with her fathers fiery red hair and her green eyes, she's not very tall but for some reason I'm more intimidated than I've ever been before.

"Well thank you Balto, that was an incredibly brave thing for you to do," she says, smiling. I'm to shocked for words, I mean she can see my eyes and still she's being civil to me. "No, she's being **nice** to me!" I realize and I find my self smiling despite myself. Good thing Rosie can't see my smile, with my teeth it would probably give her nightmares.

"Balto, are you alright?" she says, as her eyes grow wide with concern and I realize I've been staring. I promptly curse myself for looking like an idiot.

"I-I-I-I," I begin, when all of sudden I'm interrupted by the sheriff and his two deputies rushing up.

"Get away from her you freak." says Sheriff Weatherly, looking at me.

"Sheriff!" cries out Jenna in shock. I don't want to cause any trouble, no need to stir up any more angry feeling towards me, so I do what I always do.

"I was just leaving Sheriff." I say quietly, as I begin to walk away slowly. Him and his deputies just laugh like always.

"Thats what I thought, now just get on out of here, what is it? Ballo?" he says with a sneer and then goes right back to laughing. I look over at Jenna who looks...just ashamed. For some reason I get angrier then I've ever been. Weatherly and his boys realize I've stopped and stop laughing long enough to throw more taunts at me. "What's the matter Ballo? Forget the way home?" They erupt in another burst of hysterics. I can still see that look on Jenna's face. I look like such a coward right now. "I can't let her see me like this," I think to myself. So I do something I've never done before. I turn around and snarl out in a voice like ice "**My name is Balto!"**


	5. Chapter 4

We stand there just staring at each other for what seems like hours but in reality is probably only a few seconds, right there in the middle of the street with a small crowd gathering around to see what 'the freak with yellow eyes' is doing. His two deputies, Jonas and Frank are to stupid to know how to respond to this sudden change in attitude. The sheriff however is livid, his fist are clenched in anger at this sudden burst of disrespect. Finally, narrowing his brown eyes, he breaks the silence, "What the hell did you say to me, boy!"

"You heard him! His name is Balto!" cries out a little voice that surprises everyone, including me. It's Rosie, and if looks could kill the sheriff wouldn't stand a chance, guess there's more Mathias in her then people realize. The crowd around us begins to murmur and whisper at this unexpected turn of events. But that is nothing compared to what happens next, she runs over to me and grabs my hand , and screams out at the top of her lungs "And he's my friend!"

For the first time since this morning the crowd is speechless, and so am I for that matter. "What the hell is going on?" I think to myself, this little girl just met me, and she calls me her friend in view of the whole town? I look down at her, she barely comes up to my waist, and she's what? Nine years old? I glance at Jenna for an explanation but apparently this is new behavior even for Jenna, she's as shocked as I am.

Weatherly can't seem to get his head around it, in all his thirty or so years of being sheriff he's never seen anything like this. "**What!** That **THING** is your friend?" he screams at Rosie, who doesn't even flinch.

"Thats right he saved my hat and he built me a sleigh and he's been nothing but nice to me." she says without hesitation. "That makes him my friend."

"Kids got guts." I think to myself approvingly. Then pushing his way through the crowd Mathias shows up, and upon seeing his daughter holding the hand of a monster he calls out sternly.

"Rosie! Come here, now."

"Daddy," she begins.

"I said now."

Not wanting to get her in any more I trouble kneel down and whisper in her ear, "Better do what he says."

"But what about him." she whispers back, gesturing at the sheriff. Despite my self I smile behind my scarf.

"Don't worry, I can handle him." I say. She doesn't seem convinced. "Trust me." She nods and obediently goes to stand by her fathers side, but Jenna still stands where she was, defiant. I look over and call out, "Don't worry these guys might just find out I'm more then they can handle."

The crowd suddenly burst's into hysterics at this bold proclamation, can't say I blame them. I mean I always go out of my way to avoid fights, most of this town probably thinks I'm a coward. Even Jenna looks skeptical, and it's pretty clear Weatherly finds the matter funny. He's bent over and tears are streaming from his eyes he's laughing so hard.

Frank is still trying to figure out what's going on, but Jonas calls out, "Hey there you mutt, cant you see there's three of us and only one of you?"

"Very good Jonas," I say sarcastically, "You managed to count to three, pretty soon you'll be reading." It takes Jonas a minute to figure out he's been insulted, but once he does he yells out, "Hey, you calling me stupid boy?

Before I can respond Weatherly interrupts. "I suggest you stop this boy before we really have to hurt you, Jonas is right your clearly outnumbered."

I just smile as I think about everything Boris put me through to make sure I knew how to fight, and how these boys are in for a surprise. "You're right Sheriff," I say "It's not a fair fight." Then with a smile that no-one can see, I add, "But you're close."


	6. Chapter 5

The sheriff just chuckles and smirking at me says "I don't know where that spine came from, but don't say I didn't warn you," then gesturing at Jonas and Frank he says, "Have at him boys."

They rush forward eagerly; Frank a scrawny runt of a man with shoulder length brown hair is in front. Idiot, he should have let Jonas engage me and the support him, not that it would have made much of a difference.

I hear Jenna call out, "Balto!" worriedly, but I ignore her, focusing only on the task at hand.

The world seems to slow to a crawl around me, all I can see is Frank and close behind him Jonas. Frank throws the first punch, a completely wild right hook aimed at my face. Smoothly, almost casually, I lean back without moving my feet and his punch misses by inches. He seems surprised that his blow didn't land, "What the-" he begins, but he never finishes because at that exact moment, faster then the human eye can see, I extend my left hand out, my fist contacting solidly with his sternum. He's thrown back a few good feet as it cracks, and he's left wheezing in the snow. One down two to go.

Jonas, a heavy set man with very short blonde hair, stops and stairs at his comrade lying in the snow and says, "How did you do that?"

"Like this." I reply, as I spin around and use my momentum to backhand him across the jaw. He falls to the ground, instantly unconscious. And then there was one.

The sheriff looks stricken, his brown eyes wide at the sight of two men dropped on as many seconds. Then his eyes narrow and in anger say, "You'll regret that mutt." He charges say what you want about Weatherly, but he's no coward and a lifetime of law enforcement has made sure he knows a thing or two about fighting, but even then he's no match for me.

Just like Frank he comes at me with a right hook, unlike Frank this attack is planned and has some amount of skill behind it. I bring my left hand up to block his fist, while simultaneously bringing my knee into his groin. It may be unsportsman like, but it's effective. He hunches over in pain and a right handed uppercut ends the fight.

I look around at the carnage and can't help but feel a little proud. Jonas and Weatherly are unconscious and Frank finally passed out. Poor bastards never had a chance. It's then I notice that everyone is staring at me, most of the expressions around me are those of fear but the expressions on Jenna and Rosie's face are just shocked.

"Shit, why did you do that?" I think to myself sadly, "They were being nice to you, now there just scared of you idiot." I turn to them and bowing I say, "Ladies I apologize you had to see that." And instantly take off down the road, the crowd parts easily out of my way, none of them wanting to touch me.

About fifty yards down the street I turn left down an alley between two buildings. I'm sprinting towards a stack of crates in the hopes of making onto the rooftops, when suddenly Steele steps into my path from around the corner. I ground to a halt in front of him as he crosses his arms in front of him and says, "I saw how you dealt with the human half-breed, it would seem you have some skill however slight."

I look him in the eyes and say, "What do you want Steele?"

"Oh, just to give the little half-breed a few words of advice." He says with a shrug. And then suddenly his jaw line goes from square to angular just as his hair changes from raven black to fire red, and when he opens his eyes they've gone from blue to emerald green.

"Crap, he's using his glamour." I think to myself.

"Now I don't care what you do with the humans," he says. "Kill them, rape them, have a good time basically, I don't care, I may even like you a little more if you do," he says, chuckling evilly. Then in a voice like ice he says, "But if you ever in one of my races again I'll kill you."

"You and what army?" I reply.

"Oh, no army," he shrugs. And then smirking says, "Just a really good team."

Then suddenly behind me three members of Steele's pack appear blocking off my escape. I recognize them Nikki, Kaltag and Star. Steele smiles at me and says, "You're move half-breed."

I waste no time, but rather than attack like they expect, I jump twelve feet in the air and slam my hand into the side of the building in my left, creating a handhold. Then before they can react I push off the wall with my legs and land on the rooftop of the building across from me. I take off at full sprint across the rooftops, free. I glance back over my shoulder; it looks like there not following me, still best to play it safe. I'm outnumbered and besides Steele's glamour I know nothing of my opponents Talent's, so I'm quite possibly outmatched.

I continue at a steady pace until I come to the general store about ten minutes later, I kneel down at the edge of the building to think about the last few hours. Hard to believe it's only nine a.m.! For the thousandth time I wish I knew more about Steele's Talent, I know his glamour allows him to change his appearance to whatever anyone around him finds most attractive, but nothing else.

It's a common argument among the women of Nome, what color are his eyes, his hair, the shape of his nose or his jaw, they can't agree because they all see what they want to see.

"I wonder what Jenna thinks of Steele?" the thought startles me, "why did I think of that?" I wonder. I don't have time to consider this as I'm suddenly startled by a voice.

"Balto! What are you doing up there?"

"Did I seriously let myself get so distracted I let someone sneak up on me?" I think to myself irritably. "Shit, I'm having a bad day."


	7. Chapter 6

"What were you thinking, Jenna? Going near that thing! He could have hurt you! He could have hurt Rosie!" My father says angrily as we make our way home in the snow.

"He's not a thing Father he's a person, a person that was trying to be nice and for the record he was a perfect gentleman." I reply just as angrily.

"I think sheriff Weatherly would disagree; he broke his jaw Jenna, with his bare hands!"

"As I recall the sheriff and his deputies threw the first punch." He doesn't have anything to say to that, but in my mind I keep replaying the fight in my head. He was incredible! Three men all tough, seasoned fighters and he beat them like it was nothing. He wasn't even breathing heavily! "How did he do it?" I wonder to myself, "He doesn't look that strong." It's true, he's tall, but he's all lean muscle and sinew, and yet despite that he managed to break one man's sternum, another's jaw and knockout a man twice his size with nothing but his fist, and it didn't even look like much of an exertion for him.

I have to admit I was a little worried when I first saw him on the street, he looked terrifying. Black hair cut short, dressed all in black with yellow eyes. But then when I realized what he was doing I was amazed. He was trying to save the hat! What's more he actually did it; he outran a pack of horses and saved the hat in the most astounding way! He moved so gracefully, so confidently.

But as soon as he brought it over that changed in an instant, he was shy and nervous, he seemed uncomfortable. It was kind of…cute.

Suddenly Rosie say's out loud, "well I'm glad Balto did it! The sheriff is nothing but a big bully!"

"I think so to, Rosie." I say to her.

Father gets angry at that I can tell. "Neither of you know what you're saying."

"I do know one thing Father," I reply, "If you treat someone like an animal, eventually that's what they become."

He sighs, "We'll discuss this later Jenna, and for now go get the groceries your mother needed."

"Fine Father." I reply, and then storm off in the direction of the general store.

I can't understand Father's hatred of Balto, he always tells us that we should never judge a person based on how they look, but just because Balto's eyes are different he calls him a monster. Some people say his mouth is filled with huge teeth, but I've never seen them, a lot of people haven't, he always wears that scarf, and he's rarely seen outside of Mr. Boris's shop. As I come to the general store I stop to check my reflection in the window, Mother always says she's jealous of mine and Rosie's, red hair and green eyes.

Then as I turn to go in the store, I catch sight of something out of the corner of my eye. It's Balto! On the roof! He's kneeling down at the edge of the building, he doesn't look like he's noticed me staring at him in shock. I call out, "Balto! What are you doing up there?"


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

It's Jenna and she's staring at me. "I was, uh… just…umm… that is to say…um… I was doing, uh things." I finish lamely.

"Well obviously," she says sarcastically. "Get down here. You're gonna hurt yourself," she says. Glancing both ways down the street from my high vantage point, I see no one else but still… best not to take any chances.

"I'd …um rather not." I say nervously. Now she looks irritated, I'm kind of scared.

"Well unless you plan to go fetch a ladder I can't come up there to talk, so you really don't have much say in the matter, do you?"

"Oh' man she's scary as hell." I think to myself. I'm…uh…I'm coming." I crouch down and launch myself into a somersault, landing right at her feet.

"Okay, now you're just showing off," she says with a smile.

"Um… pardon?" Dammit! Why do I keep saying "um"?

"The flips," she explains. "I've known you all of ten minutes and you've already done three."

I shrug and say, "Fastest way down."

"Fastest way to the hospital more like." She retorts.

"If the hospital would even treat me, perhaps." That seems to catch her off guard and she goes silent for just a second.

Then she asks, "What **were** you doing up there, anyway? And I don't want to hear that you were doing "things."

I find myself rubbing the back of my neck sheepishly as I reply, "I was just making sure nobody followed me, I'm sure most of the people back there were pretty angry."

She grins and says "I think most of them were mostly shocked, but I'm sure more than a few of them will think twice before messing with you." Then she adds with a smile, "I know Weatherly will."

I can't help but chuckle at that; she's funny got to admit. Pretty to, with fine delicate features and her red hair. "Stop it!" I command myself, "no point even thinking about it, it'll never happen." I think to myself. "So don't even bother."

Unaware of my inner turmoil Jenna continues, "Where did you learn to fight like that, anyway? You were amazing!"

Suddenly wary I cross my arms over my chest and say; "Like you said I've known you all of ten minutes, tell me just why should I tell you that?"

Her eyes get wide and in a hurt voice that makes me feel like the biggest jerk in the world, replies "You don't trust me?"

I didn't survive this long in a town full of people who think I'm a demon or evil spirit by giving away secrets."

She looks angry but just for a second, and then she looks thoughtful and finally her expression softens. "I guess your right, I mean I can't expect you to trust me right way, can I?"

I'm too stunned to speak, I expected her to do any number of things, scream at me, and slap me, storm off but not… not this. "Th…thank you, Jenna." I finally say.

She looks at me curiously, "You seem surprised Balto."

"Most people aren't as open minded as you;" I reply "Most people take one look at me and run screaming in the other direction, or try to kill me, whichever comes first."

She smiles and says, "People are only afraid of you because they don't understand you."

"Oh, you're right;" I say sarcastically, "the solution is so obvious we'll throw a party. Yeah and we'll have tea and crumpets, then no one will be afraid of me. It'll be loads of fun, although I should probably get fitted for a suit."

She laughs at that then replies, "Okay, I see your point. Although… that's really not a bad idea."

"What? Me in a suit?" I ask obliviously.

"No," she says, "a party but on a smaller scale, we need to change the public perception of you and the best place to start is the most influential man in town my father."

I'm shocked, she wants to help me? I find myself unbelieving, "And just how would we go about doing that?" I ask suspiciously.

"You come have dinner at my house tonight with the whole family and we show my father you're not a bad guy, after that it'll be easy."

I just stare at her dumbstruck, then finally manage to get out, "Are you crazy! Te mayor will never approve."

"He won't know," she replies, "at least not until it's too late, I'll tell them were having company but I'll be vague on who it is."

I start to protest but she interrupts me "I'm not taking no for and answer, Balto. Be at my house tonight at seven o'clock." She says then turns to and starts to walk away. Looking over her shoulder she continues, "if you don't I'll just have to hunt you down."

"Damn, she's stubborn." I think to myself, I have no doubt that this little plan will fail, but still the prospect of dinner with Jenna, even with her Father there is tempting. "Fine, I'll be there." I say smiling. "But I feel I should warn you, I'll be armed." I say in complete honesty.

She's not smiling either, but she nods and say's "Fair enough."

As I watch her walk away I think to myself, "Best day ever." The thought startles me; does this one nice thing really make this the best day of my life? And the depressing fact is, yeah it does.

"My life is so fucked up."


	9. Chapter 8

Author note: Shchenok is Russian for pup.

Chapter 8

I'm in a long hallway, with several doors on either side. The space is far too narrow for effective use of anything save daggers and fist so I keep my katana strapped to my back as I proceed slowly down the hall in a crouch. My leather boots are completely silent on the hardwood, as I carefully open each door, all senses alert for traps in search of my objective.

Finally coming to the last door at the end of the hallway I quickly scan the lock for traps but find none… odd. Carefully opening the door expecting an attack at any moment, I've found it! In a bare room barely large enough to hold the table in the center of it a small unadorned box, my objective.

Then I make a potentially fatal mistake, thinking my mission as good as done, I allow my thoughts to wonder to dinner at the Rozenweig's tonight. There's no way n hell this plan will work, will it; and what about Jenna? Is she really trying to help me, or could this be a trap?

The thought of a trap brings me back to reality, where the sound of a straining rope alerts me to an attack from behind. My assailant is coming at me with an ax in hand and a shield in the other, there's no time to turn around and face my opponent so instead I leap into the air tucking into a ball and the axe passes harmlessly beneath me. My attacker's momentum has carried him forward so when I land it's me standing behind him now. Before the axe can come around for another attack, I reach out and grab the haft of the axe at a speed no human could comprehend, then raising my free hand above my head bring it down with all my might on the arm of my attacker, ripping right through it!

I toss the axe and the piece of arm still attached to it to the side of the room while I kick my former assailant away. This is very bad. Any second now another trap is gonna go off and even if I survive it, will I survive the next, or the next? And it's a pretty safe bet that as soon as I grab the objective then the _**really**_ nasty traps will start.

I need to get out of here **now**. Then I get an idea, the traps can't hurt me if I'm too fast for them to touch. I've only got seconds before my chance is gone and I'm good as dead. Crouching low, I dive over the table snatching the box and clutching it to my chest. Sure enough I can hear the tell tale click that signals a trap inside the table.

The world goes to that odd place where time seems to slow and I only notice what I absolutely must to ensure my survival. As I seem to hover over the table I smell something, a sort of sulfuric smell like a… like a…like a fuse!

**"Oh, shit! He put a fucking bomb in the fucking table!"** **I need to** **move!** I twist my body mid-dive so my feet are facing the wall opposite the door I came in. When my feet come in contact with wall I push off with every ounce of muscle in my body. I'm out the door a half second before the bomb goes off with a deafening blast that sends a long spout of flame after me. But my plan worked, my launch carried me halfway down the hall and I instantly rolled onto my feet and I sprinted full force towards the exit.

I can see daylight through the cracks of the door. I don't slow down, I sprint right though the door and throw myself on the ground. For the second time in as many seconds I barely beat the explosion out the door.

Panting, I lay down on the deck of the ship, or Hell's Cruise Liner as Boris likes to call it. It's actually a training ground disguised as a washed up ship, Boris built it from the ground up and it's designed so that every corridor, every room, every door can be moved to a new location or completely removed, whatever Boris feels like doing to me. And it's booby-trapped, heavily. Tripwires, knives, guns, pitfalls and that just the easy stuff, Boris has built an army of mannequins with rope attached at the joints and with a little enchanting they can move on prerecorded paths. They can even fight, barely. Even if I was drunk, shot and stabbed they wouldn't be able to take me down, there mainly used to simulate guard patrols.

"Cutting it kind of close, eh shchenok?" a deep, Russian accented voice says. Sitting up I see Boris leaning against the banister of the ship with a smug smirk on his face.

"What can I say Boris, just going for style."

"Riiight" he says unbelieving.

"And whats up with you?" I say "putting every trap in one room there's challenging me then there's just fucking with me." I say as I get up and start to walk away. Then Boris calls out.

"Speaking of fucking shouldn't you be getting ready for dinner with Jenna tonight, shchenok?"

I freeze mid-step "How… how did you know?"

I didn't think it was possible but his smirk gets even bigger "I didn't."

"Bastard."

"But I guessed, you've been distracted all day since the race this morning and I heard about your little run-in with Weatherly," and son-of-a bitch his smirk gets even bigger. "And couple that with the fact that you've been checking your reflection in anything with a shine and I was pretty sure Jenna had something to do with it, so I took a shot."

Crossing his arms over his chest he looks at me, all serious now. "But all joking side shchenok, you do realize this is probably a trap right?"

Walking over to the banister I lean up against it next to Boris facing the sea, "I'm aware of that." I say to him.

"Good, just being sure," he replies with a nod.

"Jenna seems to think we can sway the town's people opinion of me if we convince Mathias I'm not some demon from hell, but what do you think, Boris?" He stares out into space for a long time, thinking. Then finally he speaks.

"Honestly shchenok, I don't think it will work, but Mathias would be the logical place to start he's trusted and well like, if you can convince him then just might be a chance."

"So you approve of me going tonight?" I ask.

"It's not my place to approve, Balto," he says with a sigh "I won't always be here, you have to make decisions on your own, and you've judged the situation and decided that it's worth the risk, I trust your judgment Balto." I consider this for a long time staring out at the sea; the sun is just now begging its slow descent over the horizon so I need to make a decision.

"Well then, guess there's only one question left." Boris looks at me expectantly. I smile behind my scarf as I say "What should I wear?"


	10. Chapter 9

Authors note: I sincerely apologize for the long wait but I somehow managed to sprain both my wrist while playing drums, so I wasn't able to even start writing for a about a week. On the bright side that was the most awesome drum roll EVER!

Chapter 9

"Clean shirt? Check. Scarf? Check. Good jacket? Check. Tan-to, Smoke bomb and poison? Check, check and check." I mentally recite to myself as I walk through the snow. Boris insisted that I stay off the roofs on my way to the Rozenweigs, because apparently showing up at their front door out of breath and sweaty, is not the way to make a good first impression. So for now at least, I'm stuck on the ground. Because of this, it's taking me a lot longer to get across town, as the moon is just beginning its slow rise into the night sky I stop a moment to stare.

I've always been fascinated by the moon, I think all wolves are to some degree. Sometimes when they don't know I'm nearby I catch Steele and members of his pack staring in wonder at the moon.

There's an old Eskimo legend that says once a piece of the moon fell to earth and landed in the wilderness. The Great Spirit looked upon and found great beauty in it. But the Great Spirit was troubled for he knew that man would soon find it, and as was their way would tear apart this marvelous thing for nothing more than a few tools. He pondered what to do for many days and nights, he wished to preserve the beauty of the stone but could not think of how. He did not wish to hide it, for he wanted others to appreciate its wonder, but he could not think of something else to do. Then finally the Great Spirit had an idea, from that piece of the moon he created the first wolf, a creature as beautiful as they stone they were made from. And just as the moon is beat back every dawn by the rising sun, but returns every night, unconquerable the wolf would never be destroyed by man. For wolves will endure no matter what and so for all eternity the Great Spirit could gaze upon the beauty of the wolf, and know joy.

Suddenly I hear the sound of someone else shuffling through the snow ahead of me. Its Mrs. Javanti bundled up against the cold and on her way home. Her husband is on the town council so she seems to think that everyone in towns business is her business as well, in short the biggest gossip in Nome. She's got a bundle of something in her hands looks like… flowers?

"Well she does run a floral shop." I think to myself, "I wonder…" I come up behind her and say "Excuse me." She turns and nearly jumps out of her skin when she realizes who it is.

"WH-What do **you** want?" she says clearly afraid, can't say I blame her really; I mean the only color in my wardrobe is black. The black shoes, pants, shirt and hair and the black scarf I **always** wear pulled over my nose combined with the yellow eyes, mean's I probably look like most people imagine when they picture the angel of death.

"Look I just want to buy those flowers off of you." I say pointing the multi-colored bundle in her hands. Her eyes narrow suspiciously as she says,

"Why would **you** need flowers?

"When that becomes any of your business I'll be sure to let you know. But that doesn't matter, what does matter is that I'm willing to pay double for them."

She considers this for a moment then says, "That's twelve dollars, mutt."

"Deal." I say giving her the money and taking the flowers. She hurries off without saying another word, as I turn and head for the Rozenweig household.

The flowers really are beautiful, all sorts of colors and types, I'm so busy examining them that I almost walk by my destination. Nervously, I walk up to the front door, take a deep breath and knock. Then immediately review my plan "Okay, in the case of a trap I throw a smoke-bomb and immediately make my way to the nearest exit, slashing anything that gets in my way." Then I have the single most horrible thought of my entire life, "What if it's not a trap?" I immediately start to panic, "What do I do? What do I say?" Then I look down at the flowers in my hand, "Oh, shit! What if she's allergic to flowers!"

Then the door opens, my jaw drops, and I only have one thought in my head, "WOW."


	11. Chapter 10

Authors Note: A short chapter yes, but this is only the buildup to the next chapter which should be much longer. It will take a while to get the next chapter posted so please be patient. Enjoy!

Chapter 10

"I wish you would just tell us who our mysterious guest is,Jenna." My mother says to me as we put the finishing touches on tonight's dinner.

"If you'll wait a few more minutes you'll know for yourself.'

"Oh, I know dear, but the suspense is killing me; come on just a hint?"

It's been like this since I got home earlier and announced we would be having a guest for dinner. Nothing but constant begging to know who it is, and why he's coming. I finally had to tell Rosie but made her promise not to tell Father. "Oh, all right mother, just a little hint, he's... well he's tall and... and very well known around town."

My mother smile's a knowing smile at me and says, "Aaaahhh, I see. Well in that I'd best go get ready, I'm sure you can handle everything down here, really dear the steaks look marvelous, I'm sure your Mysterious Stranger will love them, whoever he is." As she walks away I glance up at the clock over the kitchen counter. It's about a half-hour to seven, I had probably better go get ready myself. As I walk down the hallway of our house towards the stairway, I can overhear Mother talking to Father in the den. "I told you Mathias, it's Steele. Tall and well known, who else could it be? And he's had his eye on Jenna for some time now. She just didn't want to tell us because she thought it would be a surprise." I continue down the hall and up the stairs into my room where I begin to change into the clothes I had already picked out. As I do I think to myself, "Oh, Mother it will be a surprise. But not the birthday present kind of surprise, more like the "Oops Daddy I'm pregnant" kind of surprise."

As I'm sitting in front of the mirror of my mirror brushing my hair I think to myself, "I hope Balto likes his steak medium-well." Then a thought enters my head. A stupid, stupid thought, a rumor that Balto eats his meat... raw. But that's just a rumor, right? I'm still thinking about it when I hear my Mother call out, "Jenna your Mysterious Stranger just knocked would you like to answer it?"

"I'm coming!" I yell out rushing down the stairs. The hall way that leads from the stairway to the front door divides the house, on the right you have the kitchen, pantry and dining room. On the left you have the living room, den and library. As I pass the entrance to the den I pause momentarily to ask my mother, "How do I look?" Her eyes go every inch of my body, from my long red hair combed back and smooth, the white blouse with my red bandana tie around my neck, to the jeans and leather shoes, then she says with a smile, "Somehow even though you refuse to wear a dress like a respectable lady, you look lovely dear."

Smiling I rush to the door, pause, take a deep breath and open a door. He's just standing there shuffling his feet looking shy and nervous, it would be adorable if not for the fact that he's six feet tall, dressed all in black and the only part of his face I can see are his yellow eyes. "Balto! I'm glad you could make. Come in. Come in."

"H-Hi." he says softly as he walks in. I'm about ask him if I can take his coat, when suddenly from behind his back he pulls out a bouquet of flowers and say's in a nervous rush. "I-I got these for you, I mean I got them for you and your family, I thought... I thought you could put them on the table or- or not that would be fine to, I didn't' mean-"

I have a feeling this could go on for awhile so I cut him off, "Balto they're beautiful and I think putting them on the table is a wonderful idea." I say taking them from his hand's.

"You really like them?"

"Of course." He seems to relax a little bit, but he still seems I don't know, tense? No that's not the word... ready. Like every muscle in his body is coiled and ready to spring at a moments notice. "Come on," I say grabbing his arm and leading him down the hallway, "it's time to meet the family." He suddenly looks panicked, but before he can react I pull him into full view of the den, where my entire family is sitting, "Mother? Father? Surprise."


	12. Chapter 11

Authors Note: Hey guys, I know I said this chapter would be pretty long, but about halfway through I decided this would be better from both Balto and Jenna's P.O.V. My bad. Also expect to see a lot of these flashback moments in the future, I thought it was a nice way to really show some of the defining moments in Balto's life.

Chapter 11

Dodge left, dodge right, parry. Dammit Boris's knife is too fast. I'm only eight years old how does he expect me to beat him? It's always like this no matter what weapons we use stave, swords, knives, it always turns out the same, me with more bruises. Out of desperation I make a wild swing at his knife hand trying to cripple him. But he's expecting this, he catches my wrist and with a sharp twist my tan-to sails upward out of my hand. Faster than the eye can follow he snatches the blade out of the air, and with a spinning motion slices my face from ear to lip. The last thing I think before I black out is a shocked, "He cut me."

"What the hell is he doing in my house!"

"He's our guest for tonight, Father." Jenna say's calmly next to me. Mrs. Rozenwieg jaw has just about hit the floor, and Mathias look's like he's about to burst a vein. I can tell he's planning something by the way his muscle's tense and his eyes glance towards the coffee table in front of him, or more specifically the letter opener lying on top of it. He looks up at me and with a smirk say's, "Over my dead body."

I bite back the first statement that come's to my mind, and instead try to reason with him, "Mayor please just allow me to explain."

"Shut up and get out of my house."

"I just-"

"I said get out!" He yells as he hurls the letter opener through the air. Instinctively I reach my hand up and catch the blade mere inches from the black scarf that conceals the lower half of my face. It's Matthias turn for a jaw drop, even Jenna looks stunned, but Rosie look's like she could bust out laughing any minute now. Before anybody can recover I speak.

"Mr. Rozenwieg you are the Mayor of this town and I have always paid you the respect your position deserves, even if you have treated me like scum. And now I come into your home in order to ask you one simple question, did you chose to be born with red hair?"

He get's a confused look on his face then say's, "Of course not. What kind of-"

"So how do you think I chose to be born the way I am?" I growl out with nineteen years of hatred for whatever cruel deity allowed me to be born this way behind it.

Now he just looks cornered, "I-mean, that's...well that's, different." Then out of nowhere a voice that had been silent up until now speaks out.

"Let him stay Matthias." Everyone looks at Mrs. Rozenweig in shock, even Jenna look stunned.

"Anna, what are you saying?"Mathias finally manages to say.

"Admit it Matty, you are obligated as mayor to at least get to know him, and besides he's been nothing but polite so I say give him a chance. And even if manners don't matter to **you**, you do have to respect his courage to show up here."

I glance at Jenna and arch an eyebrow as if to say, "Matty?" She smiles and mouths back, "Pet name."

Mathias gets a stubborn look on his face, "I don't **have** to respect anything." He say's crossing his arms over his chest.

"So now your going to change your entire point of view, just so you don't have to speak with the boy?"

He looks at me with a scowl on his face, but he knows he's been beaten. "Very well, it won't do you any good mutt, but I'll listen to you tonight. However once the night is done with I have no further obligation to you. Clear?"

"Agreed, Oh and by the way," with a flick of my wrist I send the letter opener sailing throught the air, burying it in the coffee table between us. "My name is Balto."


	13. Chapter 12

Authors Note: Hey guy's just wanted to apologize for the long update, I helped take some kids to camp, and a councilors life does not allow much time for writing. Also you may see a couple of reviews that have my name on it, this is NOT me! I don,t know how but my pothead friend somehow got on my account and messed with all sorts of stuff. And one last thing, I really need you're help. If you go look on my profile page you will see preview's for some upcoming stories I'm working on, please read them and send me a message letting me know which story you want to see first. I would greatly appreciate this, thanks.

Chapter 12

There just staring at each with steely gazes, I still can't believe him, where did he learn to move like that? He caught that letter opener out of the air without even blinking, and then through it with enough force to punch right through the table, all without any hint of effort, it was... incredible. Then without warning my Father's expression changes to something almost like... respect?

"Very well, Jenna take our guest coat and scarf please." Balto eyes instantly go wide with panic as he say's.

"I-I would much rather keep my scarf, please."

Father gets an angry look on his face as he says, "Concealing you're face like some kind of criminal is not the best first impression, Balto. I'm allowing you into my home, against my better judgment! I will see my guest face!"

"Father!" I start angrily, but Balto cut's me off.

Raising his hands in an apologetic manner, in front of him he say's, "I-I didn't mean any offense I simply..." Then he hangs his head shamefully and say's in the saddest voice I've ever heard, " I just didn't want to scare Rosie."

"Oh God," I think to myself, "What could have happened to him to make him like this? How can someone so young sound so sad? He's only what eighteen? Nineteen?" I feel something, an emotion I thought I understood but didn't really, until now... hatred. I hate them all. Every single person that's ever yelled at him, ever ran from him, God, tried to kill him! No one deserves that, no one deserve to go through life treated like that, no one should ever believe that just by showing there face everyone around him will immediately hate and fear him.

Then out of nowhere, a tiny voice speaks up, "I won't be scared Balto, I promise." It's little Rosie, with a huge smile on her face. "After all the worst you can be is ugly, and there are a lot of ugly people in town, and I'm not scared of them."

I find myself laughing right along with Mother and Father, and I'm not sure but by the way his eyes crinkle I think Balto may have smiled as well. "It's all right, Balto." I say nudging him.

He look's at me with eyes wide and scared. Then slowly he nod's, reaches his hand up, and begins to slowly disentangle the scarf from his face. As it slowly unfolds I mentally prepare myself for anything. Very few people have ever seen him without his scarf. Some say he has a snout and fur, others claim his teeth are like a wolves and stained red with blood.

Finally it's off and in his hands, he's staring at his feet so we can't really see him but then he take's a deep breath, look's up and... I see nothing wrong with him. Besides his eyes all I see is sharp angular features, a long nose and a white scar running from his right ear to his lip's, he's actually kind of... handsome. And then he grin's sheepishly, and I can't help but gasp. His teeth are huge! I mean massive, and just like a wolves, razor sharp and jaggedly placed, he look's like he could chew through iron!

At my gasp Balto looks at me with eyes so full of hurt my heart almost stops and I realize that to him my reaction has confirmed every ill word ever spoken to him, every bad thought he ever had about himself. He starts to put his scarf back on but I reach out, grab his hand and say, "Why are you putting that back on? Your teeth are incredible, it's good to know that no matter how terrible a cook I am some one will eat my steaks tonight."

He look's stunned, but recovers swiftly and stares at me intently with a hard gaze trying to tell if I'm serious. Finally he realizes I'm sincere and smile's broadly. I won't lie I'm a little scared of the sight of him at first, but then I see his eyes, so bright and golden. He's looking at me like I'm his hero. "His eyes really are beautiful," I think to myself. So bright and intelligent, terrifying, but some how at the same time gentle. I wonder how anyone could be afraid of someone with such amazing and beautiful eyes.

Then his eyes look over to my hand still grasping his. Those large eyes I had been admiring only a second before, grow wide and he jerks his hand away and take's a step back as if I slapped him. He's just staring at his feet now, out of the corner of my eye I see my mother get a thoughtful look on her face, but my mind is to filled with one irritable thought to pay much attention, "What the fuck is his problem?"


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"So you think your Talent is useless, huh?" Boris says with a chuckle, as he settles into his favorite chair in our little apartment above the wood shop.

I nod my head dejectedly and say "What good could it possibly be in a stand-up fight?" Boris narrows his eyes at me in a suspicious manner and says "Have I not made you read Sun Tzu yet?" I shake my head negatively, Boris rubs the bridge of his nose and sighs loudly. "Well first thing tomorrow we begin to study him, but until then Balto sit down it's time for a lesson." I obediently sit crossed legged on the floor in front of him and listen intently.

Boris arches an eyebrow and says "You will be turning twelve next month, yes? So I think it is high time you really began to learn how to use your Talent in a combat situation." I perk up instantly. Is he finally getting serious about teaching me how to use the Talent? "But first," he continues, "lets recap on what I taught you earlier, first off what is the Talent?"

I take a deep breath and recite from memory "The Talent is the ability to sense and use magic. This ability manifest in a small percentage of the worlds population, seemingly at random. The Talent always manifest in two ways per person, a "Primary Talent" and a "Secondary Talent."

Boris leans back in his chair and ask, "Is the Talent the same for everyone?"

"No, each Talent is very specific and does not change. For example some can manipulate fire and others water. But one can not learn the other. Each person is bound to the Primary and Secondary Talent they were born with."

"What is the difference in the Primary Talent and the Secondary Talent?"

"Each Talented person is born with two specific Talents, one does not effect the other for example a person may posses the Talents of fire and water. It is completely random, however the Primary Talent is always stronger then the Secondary."

"What is an example of this?"

"Huh?" I say tilting my head to the side quizzically.

"What is an example of the Primary Talent being stronger then the Secondary Talent?" Boris say's with an expecting gaze.

I scratch my head and say "I don't think you ever taught me this."

Boris just smiles and says "Maybe not directly, but you're going to have to learn to figure some things out on your own. I've left plenty of clues in our previous lessons, you're a clever shchenok you can do it."

I cross my arms over my chest and rack my brain furiously. Now that I think about it every time we did have a lesson on the Talent Boris always talked about fire but what did he always say? Then it hits me, "I got it!" I yell out excitedly.

"Well lets hear it."

"Okay, say two men have the same Talent, fire."

"I'm with you so far shchenok."

"For one fire is his Primary Talent, for the other fire is his Secondary Talent. The one with the Secondary Talent of fire can manipulate any preexisting flames in the area and has some resistance to heat. However the one whose Primary Talent is fire has all of these ability, but can also conjure flames from nothing."

"Exactly!" Boris says with a smile, then he reaches down and pats my head, "Clever lad." The the smile disappears from his lips and he looks seriously at me, "Listen up pup, there are hundreds of thousands of different Talents and I won't even pretend to know them all. But here is something I do know, some Talents are harder to control then others and some Talents pose just as much threat to the people wielding as they do to their enemy." Taking a deep breath he continues, "Now I know you think your Secondary Talent has no use in a standup fight but I disagree, you just have to be smarter about how you use it."

"What do you mean?"

"Going back to Sun Tzu, he once said all warfare is based on deception. And if that's true then your Talent for illusions will be very handy in a fight, but you'll have to be quick, sharp minded and able to predict with unerring accuracy what you foe will do. But I think you can do it."

I nod my head and say to him, I'll do my best Boris."

He smiles at me and says, "That's my boy."

Then another thought enters my head and I ask Boris, "What about my other Talent?"

As quick as a snake Boris arm snaps out and latches onto my arm in a vise like grip. "Listen to me boy and listen good! Never attempt to use your primary Talent unless I am there every step of the way! It is to dangerous, if you attempt to practice it and make even the slightest mistake you'll die! Do you understand me?" He thunders.

I nod my head furiously and say "Yes Boris, I promise I won't try it without you."

The smile reappears shakily as he says, "Good lad, we'll start training tomorrow."

"What the fuck is that motherfucking boys problem!" I think inside my head angrily as I storm off towards the kitchen. "For fucks sake, pulling the fuck away from me like I've got some kind of awful as fuck disease." I rage inside adding a nice little "fuckity, fuck fuck fuck." For good measure.

And what makes it worse is the fact that everyone can tell I'm pissed EXCEPT BALTO! Lucky for me Mother thinks fast on her feet, "Mathias dear why don't you and Balto have a seat in the dining room and get to know each other, while us women get the food?" Father looks less than pleased about this but beckons a still oblivious Balto to follow him any way.

I burst angrily into our kitchen. I'm running the sink to wash my hands when mother comes up beside me, with little Rosie in tow.

"Now Jenna I know you're angry-"

"Angry? No I'm furious! Who does he think he is? I'm nice to him and despite what Father thinks of him I invite him to dinner to try and help him! And then he won't even let me touch him? Do I repulse him that much?" I say nearing tears.

"Jenna listen to me!" My mother cuts me off angrily. I'm so shocked I shut up instantly, mother never talks to anyone like that. "Now I know you're not an idiot dear, so listen and think foe a moment. Now you've spent your whole life around people and you've known boys attention, even if you never returned it. But that boy out there has never even had a woman look at him without screaming for help, or calling him terrible names. So, can you really blame him for having absolutely no idea how to react to you grabbing his hand like that?

Realization hit's me like a ton of bricks, she's absolutely right.

"Now that boy in the dining room physically and mentally he's a young man, but emotionally? Jenna he is a child and it is everyone in this towns fault, including me." I'm nearing tears again, but not from anger or hurt, from shame. "Now if you're trying to send Balto a message that's fine, but try to keep that in mind."

I stiffen instantly, "I'm not trying to send any message to any one, I just want to help him. It's not fair the way he's been treated." I say defensively.

My mother smile's knowingly and says, "Oh, is that it? Silly of me to think otherwise." She grabs a plate of food in each hand and begins to walk towards the dining room. Before she is out the doorway though she turns around and say's with a smirk, "But you know dear, with his mouth closed he really is a handsome lad."

My jaw drops and Rosie begins to giggle and sing, "Balto and Jenna sitting in a tree-"

"Nobody asked you, shorty." I cut her off testily. "Now grab a plate and lets go."

She doe's what I tell her, but as we go down the hall she's still giggling, that is until we walk into the dining room and see whats going on. It take me a second to comprehend what I'm seeing but when I do, I think to myself, "Fuckity fuck, fuck, fuck."


	15. Chapter 14

Authors Note:I apologize a hundred thousand times over for the abysmal update time for this chapter, but my attention has been...diverted recently, along with my hectic work schedule this has left me almost no time to write. However you guys remember the last chapter were I asked you all to check out my profile and send me a message about which story preview you liked best, well not a single message in my in box! Come on guys I need your help, please.

Chapter 14

I'm following Mr. Rozenweig through his house when without warning Matthias turns around and with a large, somewhat evil look on his face say's "You know, I just had a wonderful idea why don't you go on ahead to the dining room and have a seat. I'll join you in just a moment."

I'm instantly alert and ready for an ambush. Without conscience thought my body begins making preparations that have been ingrained in me through countless hours of training. I widen my stance for optimal balance, I immediately observe Mathias stance in order to find a way to knock him off balance for a quick escape, imperceptibly I flex my right arm to allow my tan-to an easier withdrawal. But then I remember...the way Jenna looked at me and I break Boris's biggest rule, I hesitate. Boris has always taught me to never hesitate it's what gets most assassins killed, no I should always make a decision and live with the consequences. But I'm torn between the sincerity I thought I saw in Jenna's eyes and the very loud, very prominent voice in my head screaming at me.

"Don't be stupid! Humans are all the same you can't trust them! This is a trap! Kill Mathias and escape while you still can!" But I just can't get Jenna's eyes out of my head, before she didn't look at me like other people do, with disgust or fear, but with wonder. Nobody's ever looked at me like that before. With that in mind I decide to trust Jenna just a little bit longer, I nod my head curtly and make my way into the dining room while Mathias heads in the opposite direction down the hall.

Still cautious, I enter the dining room and find myself staring at a very familiar table. Familiar because I built it, it was the very first project Boris let me work on by myself. Of course the Rozenweig's still believe Boris made it, but I remember working my fifteen year old body to death in order to make it perfect. I'm not the bragging type but as run my hand over the smooth, mahogany tabletop I reminisce about the many nights I worked nonstop to ensure there would be no flaws whatsoever. Into the tabletop I carved an intricate mosaic that, if you know the story tells the tale of the creation of the wolves and the legs, Oh Spirits, the legs. I carved on each leg the totem animals of the local Eskimo tribes and the bottom of each leg is an intricately carved wolf paw. I remember how many times I had to start from scratch at the tiniest mistake. I demanded perfection...because I knew that that this would be something I did, something of me that someone would love and cherish. I remember the fantasy I had while making this table. Of someone, mostly Jenna coming into the shop and proclaiming that she loved the table and...

I never did have the courage to hope for anything more than that. I'm startled out of my bittersweet memories by the sound of Matthias voice behind me, "Well now have a look at this boy."

I don't know why but I'm instantly filled with dread, something has alerted me to danger, I turn slowly around and see possibly the scariest thing I've ever seen. Mountainous Matthias, with a Winchester repeater, a Samuel Colt 45. and a double barrel twelve-gauge shotgun. With the biggest smile I've ever seen he say's "I just thought I'd show you a small part of my collection"

And as if the Great Spirit himself is trying to make a joke, at that exact moment Jenna, her mother and Rosie all walk into the dining room and freeze speechless. For some reason even with a giant carrying enough firepower to wipe out an army standing in front, and despite all my training and practice, the look on Jenna's face is to much. I choose this exact moment to burst into hysterical laughter, the only thing I can think is "This is so fucking hilarious!"


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

A/N: I am so sorry once again for the update time. But Once again no one except WageOfWar and the funniest alpha gave me their opinion on my profile previews! Come on guys help me out! I'm really torn what to work on next!

"Whats wrong with him!" I think to myself frantically. He's clutching his sides and he's hunched over making...this...this noise...its like a barking sound but not quite it's...something like a cross between a bark and a yip. "Is he having some sort of panic attack!"

Then he straightens up and begins to wipe tears from his eyes and I think to myself "No...no way...is he...laughing?" I don't believe it but its true! That sound is him laughing! It hits every body in the room at the same time, but honestly I don't know who's more shocked at his reaction me or my father! I still can't believe Father brought out all those guns, even if they were just to scare him! Regardless of his intent this is not the effect he wanted.

"Well now boy, whats so funny?" he says, slightly irritated that his joke had no effect.

After a minute Balto manages to get enough control to choke out, "Oh-oh spirits...the look on your faces!" And with that he bursts into another round of hysterics.

We all look at each other and realize just how scared we really were, and we all find a little humor in imagining our expressions, all but Father who is stilled annoyed.

"But of course there was one other funny thing." Balto says after the fit has stopped.

My father straightens up and say's "What might that be?"

With a voice that has no hint of humor in it, only pure confidence he says, "The ridiculous notion that you end your guns pose any threat to me whatsoever." As he says it he gets this look on his face...but its not like his previous one. This one is more like a sneer, cold, brutal and not at all pleasant. But whats truly terrifying are his eyes, so totally focused on my father as if even now he's calculating the best way to tear him in half. All the warmth that was in those eyes mere moments before is completely gone. The whole expression is terrifying...and eerily familiar.

But that's not possible is it? I mean he always wears that scarf and  
I'm pretty sure I would remember THAT look.

The sudden tension and fear in the room is shattered by Father's sudden...laughter? I cant believe either of them! Where does Balto get off talking to my father that way? And what is Father laughing so hard about? Then my famously stubborn Father says something I can't believe or understand. "Haha, you know boy, I'm still not sure what I think about you. For all I know you're still a monster that could go feral at any moment." Then he reaches out and claps Balto on the shoulder like an old friend. "But you got guts kid. And at the end of the day that's what makes a man. Come on lets eat." Balto visibly jumps at the motion of my Father moving. But I promise no one is more shocked at my Fathers change of heart then me and my family! My Father is widely considered the most stubborn man in Alaska but the minute a man he hates back talks him, he likes him! I just can't wrap my head around that notion and eventually just decide, "All men are insane."


	17. Chapter 16

Authors Note: I'm very sorry I took so long to update. But I have a good reason this time! I was working with friend of mine on a new project! Something Balto fans will enjoy! And I have to give thanks to the people that messaged me trying to get me to update. Especially AlphaBalto who's message "you alive bro?" touched me so deeply. Hahaha. Sorry but I laughed so hard when I read that. Also in this chapter I tried to honor my favorite author Brian Jacques. Can you guess how?

Chapter 16

"Oh Spirits, Oh Spirits look at that!" I think to myself in total awe. "It's beautiful!" STEAK! Cooked to perfection and still sizzling with herbs and spices atop. And Italian herb bread dripping with butter, and potato soup with cheese and bacon mixed in expertly.

"Well it looks like your meal is a success Jenna, Balto sure seems to like the look of it." It's only then that I realize my mouth is wide open...and I don't really care. I look at Jenna with total and sincere adoration.

"You made this?" She smiles shyly and nods saying,

"It was just a little something, not a big deal."

"It looks amazing."

"You think so?" I chuckle to myself inwardly. If she only knew what dinner at Boris's house is like.

"What a lousy thirteenth birthday." I think miserably as I kneel outside vomiting everything I've eaten in the past three days onto the snow. Boris is standing next to me with a sympathetic look on his face.

"Sorry shchenock. But you have to learn to detect poison in your food."

My insides feel like there doing somersaults, but I manage to speak, "You could have at least told me you were going to break health code so I could look for the poison at least."

Boris gets a disapproving look on his face and says, "Do you think every assassin will send you a note? Do you think they will say "If you find the poison you get to live?" "No! You must learn to be suspicious of every meal. Of every person. Of everything you see."

Damn it he's right. I messed up. I should have thought to check. But then Boris smiles and says "I'm surprised you made it outside actually. The herb I used only takes a bout two or three minutes to take effect in someone your size, slightly more in someone bigger, and is completely undetectable until the vomiting starts. It's called-"

"Hag Weed. You used Hag Weed. And I made it outside because it isn't _completely_ undetectable."

Boris is shocked beyond measure as he says "What do you mean it's not!"

"One of the traveling shamans told me Hag Weed can be detected moments before the vomiting starts by a slight itch in the palm of the hand. And I didn't expect you to poison my meal...because I already poisoned yours."

Boris freezes and looks down at his palm...which he had just been scratching. He gives me a look of pure pride...and immediately starts puking his guts out right next to me. I think to myself, "Score one for the shnhenok."


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

A/N: Sooooooo…you guys miss me?

"And I thought that it LOOKED good." I think as I begin to inhale the massive meal. It's a good fifteen minutes, or third plate of food before I realize that everybody is staring at me. Another little side effect of what I am. My metabolism is much greater than a normal human so I have to eat a lot more food; as a result…my body kind of goes crazy around food. I freeze and l'm about to mumble "Sorry" when out of nowhere the whole table cracks up. I thought I disgusted them…but they think it's funny?

Jenna can barely breath she is laughing so hard, but she chokes out, "Oh…Bal…to hahahaha…you were eating a biscuit with one hand…..haha…and buttering another one with your free hand…hahahaha!"

I smile sheepishly at her and say "Old habit…eating at Boris's house is a sort of free-for-all affair." I smile as I think of the many fights that have almost broke out over the last piece of bacon at breakfast…and the ones that actually did.

"What is living with Boris like?" Mrs. Rozeweig asks me to my left.

"Tiring." I reply with a chuckle. "Boris is a perfectionist in everything he does. Whether that be carpentry, cleaning or-."

"Fighting?" Rosie pops in.

"Rosie!" Jenna scolds.

"It's alright. I don't mind." I say. Then I look at Rosie beside her sister across the table. "Yes Rosie. Boris taught me how to defend myself, since I was little."

"Is that how you got that scar?" She asks pointing to the white line going from my right ear to my lip.

I reach up and trace my finger over the scar that taught me a very painful lesson. Then I repeat the words Boris said to me after I woke up that day.

"Every scar is a lesson learned, and one not easily forgotten."

"Is that the only scar you have?" she asks me.

"I have others." I respond

"Can I see them?"

"Maybe after dinner and only if it's alright with your parents."

"What do you and Boris do that you have so many scars?" Jenna asks with a hint of…I believe concern in her voice. "Just beat each other with sharp boards and rusty nails?"

"Only when Boris is in a good mood." I say with a smile. Mathias chuckles at that, then leans back in his chair and get a thoughtful look on his face.

"I have a question Balto. If I may?" he asks.

"Of course Mayor."

"Earlier today, when you fought Weatherly and his…well for lack of better word deputies, you faced them down with such total confidence and ease, it was obvious you knew you were more than capable of handling them." I nod my head in agreement, not quite sure where this is going, as he continues. "They have mocked and tormented you for years, hell almost everyone in this town has. So why did you never fight back before?"

"Boris said that it would be better for me if I kept a low profile…well as much as I was able to anyway."

"So what made you fight today?" he asks. And I freeze…I fought because I couldn't bear to look like a coward in front of Jenna…but I can't tell him that.

I'm contemplating what to say when I steal a glance at Jenna…sitting right across from me at the table. And I realize Matthias noticed the movement, and now has a knowing smirk on his face, but…he doesn't say anything, odd. Then before I can answer his question he stands up and says, "I believe we can continue this evening in more comfortable seating conditions. Shall we retire to the den?"

"That sounds lovely dear," Mrs. Rozenweig says. "Oh don't worry about the dishes; I'll clear them up later tonight."

We make our way down the hall towards the den, when we get to the entrance Rosie, who has been suspiciously quiet up until now, burst out, "Ok! It's after dinner! Mama Can I please see Balto's scars?"

I chuckle and ask, "Why are you so determined to see my scars?"

She shrugs and says, "I dunno. I wanna."

Mrs. Rozenweig looks to me for permission when I shrug she says, "All right Rosie if it's alright with Balto."

She looks at me with wide eyes and I can't help but chuckle one more time in as I turn around in preparation to show my back. As I raise my shirt I tell her, "Alright kiddo. Just a couple of them though."


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter18

A/N: I'm back once more from trying to fake my own death again. I think that was the last time I'm gonna try, now I'm on to new ventures! Like blowing up McAllister's Deli...p.s. if any of my readers are willing to bail me out of jail let me know.

"Holy hell! That's not just a few scars!" I think to myself. Balto's back is crisscrossed with scars of all shapes and sizes. "Where did they all come from?" I wonder to myself. He looks over his shoulder at all of us staring at him and say's with a smile,

"I've had to learn a lot of lessons."

"That's so cool!" Rosie says excitedly. "Do you have others?"

"Rosie. Leave the boy be for a bit." My Mother scolds. "Let's all have a seat then we can ask more questions, with Balto's permission of course." Then quick as snakes my family makes their way to the three chairs around the den until everybody is seated except me and Balto. I'm wondering what their big rush is when it hits me…the only place left is the loveseat. They are deliberately trying to make us sit next to each other.

"Bastards." I think to myself irritably. But a small part of me is…excited all the same. It seems Balto came to the same conclusion as me since he's shuffling around nervously next to me. We stand there in some sort of awkward holding pattern, neither of us willing to make the first move, until my Mother say's,

"Have a seat Jenna. Balto dear we have a tradition in this household when we have company."

"Oh God! Please don't do it Mother." I silently plead in my mind. Balto tilts his head quizzically as he asks,

"What sort of tradition Mrs. Rozenweig?"

"Our guest show's a talent they have, something they are proud of. A skill or several if you are so gifted." I shake my head.

"Balto will never go for this." I think to myself. "He freaked out when he was asked to take off his scarf for God's sake! How can she expect him to perform?" I'm about to interject when Balto say's…with an odd tone…is that excitement?

"Any talent Mrs. Rozenweig?"

"Of course dear. Anything at all." Then he does the strangest thing…he smiles.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to." I say.

"No it's ok. I've never…actually had the opportunity to show anything Boris has taught me." He says with now no small amount of excitement.

"Except when fighting Weatherly." My Father jumps in with a chuckle.

Balto smiles at that as well and say's,

"Would you like to see some knife tricks?"

"Of course!" My Father say's with obvious excitement, my Mother's agreement is much less…enthusiastic.

"She probably was expecting a song or dance." I think with a chuckle. I take my place on the loveseat to watch when Rosie say's,

"Should I go get you a knife?"

"No need Rosie." He says with a smile, and then flexes his right arm ever so slightly allowing a small double bladed knife to drop from his sleeve into his hand. Everyone jumps a bit at that, and I can tell we are all wondering if he's had the whole time, and how none of us ever noticed it.

"He hold's the blade up and say's this is called a tan-to. It's a Japanese blade that was wielded by the samurai but found more wide spread use as an assassins blade…and as a defense against said assassins." Then the blade begins to move and the only thing I can think is,

"Holy shit!"


	20. Chapter 19

A/N: What's up guys? Just letting you guys know how much I appreciate the reviews and support…no funny statement in this one…sorry to disappoint you…Aw who am I kidding? I'm locked in the Columbus City Jail! Help!

Chapter 19

The sound of the blade whistling through the air faster than our eyes can see is hypnotic. Balto is spinning the blade expertly, while spinning and throwing punches and kicks at imaginary foes. One moment he is slashing and tossing the blade in the air, catching it with perfect precision and the next he is performing spinning kicks without missing a beat. We watch in total awe, speechless as his body performs motion we could not dream of. He is graceful and powerful all at once. He is terrifying…and yet beautiful all at once. Then without warning a sharp whistling noise is heard by us all, followed by a thunk and Balto is standing in front of us with a solemn look on his face, then he holds up his now empty hands.

"No way, we were all staring at him the whole time! Where did the tan-to go?" I think to myself with awe and excitement. Then with a smile he points to a spot on the ground right under…my father's chair. Still quivering the blade is embedded deep in to the floor; we never even saw it leave his hand!

"My God! How…did you…? That was incredible!" I say.

"Years of practice." He says with pride in his voice. "That was one of the simpler knife techniques Boris taught me when I was eight years old."

"That was simple?! Balto we could barely see the knife move!"

At my excitement and wonder he chuckles and says, "Well I have had eleven years to practice that technique."

Then my Father jumps in, "That doesn't make it any less amazing my boy." He stands and Balto and my Father look each other in the eye, and something…happens. I don't know what but something passes between them.

Then Balto inclines his head and say's, "You are to kind Mayor."

"Now come and sit." He says, motioning to the loveseat next to me. He looks at me, then nods and makes his way next to me. We are barely even touching but it feels like an oven all of a sudden.

Then the conversation starts, and it's as if he was just another guest. We sit there for hours, laughing and telling stories asking about each other, Balto even tells a few jokes himself. Turns out he's pretty funny, in an ironic sort of way. Throughout it all Balto has this look on his face like he can't quite believe any of this is actually happening, like it's some sort of dream and he's afraid he is going to wake up at any minute. Then far too soon the clock strikes midnight and my Mother bids Balto goodnight as she carries a fast asleep Rosie to bed. Then my Father yawning and stretching, stands up and say's,

"Jenna you can show our guest out I believe. Balto?"

"Yes Mayor?"

"I'm still not convinced that you won't go feral at any minute and kill anything you see."

In an instant hot fury fills me as I see Balto's face fall in defeat. I'm about to yell and scream, consequences be damned, when my Father continues, "But you have shown me that you are not as bad as I previously thought. You have acted with dignity and respect tonight…you are not an animal, Balto. And yet for years I have treated you like one." I see something I have never seen in all my eighteen years…my Fathers eyes are filled with shame as he says, "On behalf of me and my family, I humbly ask your forgiveness Balto. And know that you are always welcome in my home."

My father bids us goodnight and walks briskly out. I know how hard that was on my Father, swallowing his pride has never been easy for him. But I love him even more than he will ever realize for what he did. Balto has this look of shock and…hope, on his face. Still unable to speak he follows me as we fetch his scarf and head out the door onto the porch, stopping to grab my coat on the way out.

He doesn't don the scarf right away, he stands at the railing and I join him standing next to him staring into the snow.

"It worked." He says disbelievingly. "It really worked."

"I told you we could do it." I say with just a hint of smugness.

He looks at me and says, "Honestly I didn't think it would. I never even dreamed it would Jenna."

"Then why did you come?" I ask.

He blushes then looks away, I think that he isn't going to say anything then he jerks his head back around and says,

"Because even when I believed that this whole thing may have been a trap, I…was willing to risk it for just a chance…just a chance to have dinner with a girl as beautiful as you."

A/n: Can you say Cliffhanger! Mwhahahaha!


	21. Chapter 2o

A/N: Just thought I would let you guys enjoy that little cliffhanger for a bit. Does that make me evil?

Chapter 20

"WHY THE FUCKING HELL DID I SAY THAT!?" I rage at myself mentally. I don't know what came over me. I just felt an impulse and…it came out. But even more surprising than my outburst is…her response.

She goes a shade of red that would give her hair a run for its money and looks away as she say's "You think I'm beautiful?" Before I can stop it my mouth decides to shoot off again.

"Every other man in town thinks you're the prettiest girl in Nome." She looks back at me and stares straight into my eyes. I'm so captivated by those amazing green eyes I almost miss her next statement,

"I don't care about every other man in town. Do YOU think I'm the prettiest girl in Nome?"

"Without a doubt." I say with a lot more confidence than I'm feeling right now. Why is this so nerve racking? How can I possibly escape a bomb's blast without breaking a sweat and get so nervous talking to a girl?

After what seems like an eternity of waiting for her response she smiles. Then she leans forward and whisper's into my ear the last word's I ever expected to hear, "Well I guess it's a good thing I think you're the handsomest man in town, huh?"

I take in a sharp breath, shocked beyond measure; this is not how I expected this night to go at all. I send up a silent thanks to whatever deity created the part of our brain that allows us to come up with a clever comment while our heart is doing somersaults in our chest as I say, "I'm not sure if that's a compliment on me, or an insult to the other men of Nome."

She giggles a sound of such innocent amusement it sends another round of somersaults through me, and then says "Well maybe if you knew me better than you could answer that question."

"Then tell me about you." And just like that the conversation begins; we sit on the porch swing and talk for hours. I learn so much about her, her favorite color, her favorite food, likes, dislikes. It's so much to learn, and I feel like we just sat down when we both look up to the same sight, the sun rising.

I look at her and say with more disappointment than I ever thought I could feel, "I guess that's my cue to leave, what would the people of Nome think if they woke up to "that freak with yellow eyes" sitting here with the Mayor's daughter?"

"Screw the people of Nome. This night has been wonderful Balto. I'm just sorry it had to end. Maybe you can come back tonight?"

"It would take an army to keep me away, and even then it would be a battle."

She laughs and looks into my eyes again, and I see no malice or hatred or fear…so different from the looks I receive from the rest of this town, and say's "So I guess that would make you my knight in shining armor?"

I snort at that, "You'll never catch me in shining armor. Knights just charge right in and wind up dead. Think of me more as your…devilish rogue, stealing in at night undetected."

She stands up and begins to walk into the house, before she closes the door behind her she looks over her shoulder and say's, "Well as my devilish rogue, you best not keep me waiting. Until tonight."

I sit there for a few minutes just taking in all that transpired tonight, until I realize that I need to get moving before someone really does see me. With a leap I'm on the Rozenweig's roof. I stop just a moment to stare at the rising sun, filled with enough joy to challenge it's warmth, I think to myself, "Best night ever."

Then I'm off across the rooftops at the best speed I can manage, to tell Boris about this amazing night. And to take a cold bath…or two.


	22. Chapter 21

A/N: Hey guys I was too lazy to come up with a clever note for you guys sooooo…trivia time. What drug did Sherlock Holmes take at the start of his career? (Novels not movie.) I know this is a really short chapter but I just wanted to give a little insight into Boris and Balto's relationship.

Chapter 21

"So what's the plan from here Shchenok?" Boris says after I make it home and tell him all that transpired at the Rozenweig residence.

"I hate to say it but it looks like we have to trust Mathias to do his part now." I say with a frown. Boris chuckles to himself while sitting in his favorite chair in our apartment above the woodshop.

"Sounds like building a flamethrower out of paper, actually on second thought that plan sounds more solid than this one." Even I chuckle at that, thinking to myself that he's not wrong. Then he continues, "You going to visit Jenna again tonight?"

"I've still got two days till my next sleep cycle, you got a better suggestion as to what to do all night?"

"You could stay with me and we could knit and drink tea." He says with a grin.

"I could also watch paint dry, besides aren't you supposed to pass away quietly in your sleep tonight old man? I'd hate to keep you from your dinner date with Lucifer."

He laughs and say's "Fine. Go fuck your girlfriend tonight and leave me to die in peace."

"Not my girlfriend."

"You didn't disagree when I said to fuck her."

"I know."

Then we look at each other and the hysterics come and tears of laughter stream from both our eyes. It's good to have a Father.


	23. Chapter 22

A/N: Congrats to unshippedcorpse on answering the trivia question correctly. Cocaine. And now it's time for a little guessing game, what do YOU guys think Balto's Primary Talent is? Mwhahahahahaha

"Nothing is ever simple is it?" I think to myself from my vantage point atop one of the shops, as I stare at one of Steele's pack make his way in the snow. I was just on my way to Jenna's as the sun was setting when I saw the one I recognize as being called Star trudging through the snow, nothing odd in that, except Star is never by himself. Never. There is always at least one other member of the pack with him, almost like a bodyguard.

"What's he up to?" I wonder to myself. Then I contemplate what to do with this unexpected opportunity. This could be a chance to learn about Steele's Talent and those of his pack members in case they ever come after me…but that could mean missing my…well for lack of a better word my date.

"What to do? What to do?" I ponder. I look up into the sky where the sun has just now set. "I didn't tell Jenna exactly what time I would come, and this could be a one time opportunity…I'll follow Star for a bit. If it's taking too much time or if it looks like he's just out for a stroll I'll head to Jenna's and set a watch for him later."

And with that I take off after him, hoping to the spirits that this won't take too long. Star is a tiny runt so if he were human I would just beat the information out of him, but he's not. There's no way to tell what Talents he might have or how skilled a fighter he might be. So I stick to the shadows staying a good distance from him, even then…..he's remarkably perceptive, stalking him is actually somewhat challenging. Eventually he makes his way into the boiler room behind town hall, where all the towns water is purified….what could he be doing in there? Why would Steele tamper with the water, what could he possibly gain? Or is this a personal project of Star's?

"Now this is where it gets tricky." I think to myself. When I was on the rooftops it was easy enough to keep my distance and even then it was challenging. Inside that room…I'm not sure if I can remain hidden for very long.

"I have to risk it. There's no way this was just a midnight stroll, if Steele is tampering with the towns water supply it can't be for a good reason." And with that I leap down onto the street, landing silently and approaching the door. I don't like this, that door is the only way in, that means it will be easy to watch for intruders. But I ease the door open without a sound and slowly step inside, readying my tan-to and my Talent. Star is standing over the purifying tank with his back turned, my luck seems to be holding. "If I can take him by a surprise maybe I can question him." I think to myself. And I draw my tan-to fully and approach, all my concentration focused on remaining quiet.  
Then a burst of bright white light emits from Star's hand. My eyes can't adjust quickly enough, I'm blind! Then I hear Star snarl "Die half-Breed!"


	24. Chapter 23

A/N: Hey guys it's me again. First off I would like to say how sorry I am for leaving the story where I did. Bit of a cliffhanger that. Haha. But on a serious note I would like to thank each and every one of you who took the time to read and review my little idea I had three years ago. This hiatus I took has been a very difficult time in my life. I have had to deal with the loss of my father and the shattering of any dream I ever had. In short I didn't really feel like doing anything, least of all writing, but I believe my dad would want me to finish this story and I owe it to you guys. But from the bottom of my heart I thank each and every one of you for your support in this venture. Your reviews are the only thing that got to finally pick up this story. I am dedicating this and every chapter of this story to you guys, and Corporal Rodger William, USMC. The best Father a man could ask for.

Now I know you guys have been waiting so here we go!

"I can't see a thing!" I think in a panic. "Got to get out! Now!" With a surge of desperation I throw myself out the door I just entered into the snow, I feel a rush of wind just under my chin as I sail back and some sixth sense tells me I just barely avoided having my throat cut open. Using my momentum to roll back on my feet, I try frantically to blink my vision clear. It works…somewhat. I can make out the shack and Star standing in the doorway with a shocked expression on his face; apparently he didn't expect me to be as quick as I was, but I'm still seeing flashing spots all over the place. I ready my tan-to and drop into a fighting stance, ready for his next attack. "Well on the bright side," (heh get it?) I think to myself. "Now I know that Star has a Talent for Light." Doesn't actually help me deal with it, Light is a very dangerous Talent to go up against, he's capable of blinding flashes or sucking all the light out of an area and that's just if its his Secondary Talent. "Time to see what I'm really up against." I think to myself.

I charge forward, closing the ten feet or so between us faster than the human eye can follow. At the last moment I use my own Talent to create an illusory me that attacks Star from the right while I lunge from his left side. The attacks are timed to arrive at the same time, and Star needs to decide which is real and which is not if he hopes to survive this fight. But Star merely smirks and without hesitation moves to block my tan-to strike with his own weapon, a small hatchet and promptly kick me in the stomach to create space between us. I roll with the kick and stand upright once more ready for another attack, but oddly enough Star is not pressing his advantage, he simply stares at me with a calculating expression. I choose to take this opportunity to size up my adversary. He's small, only about 5'2 with a thin frame, but that doesn't really mean anything. The way he blocked my attack and kicked me away showed he's just as fast and as strong as me. His small beady brown eyes combined with his rat-like features give him the look of one who is constantly plotting and scheming and with his brown hair pompously pulled back in a gentleman's ponytail, he appears all the more diabolical.

Suddenly he speaks in a voice that sounds like someone trying to be just a little too suave. "You're not as dumb as you look half-breed, forcing me to reveal my Talent like that."

"Well I already suspected Light was your Primary Talent, I just needed to test my theory." I say remembering all the many lessons Boris had forced me to sit through on the many types of Talents out there. Boris had always especially focused on what he called my antithesis, namely how one with Light as their primary Talent could see through any deception, including my illusions. Star gets a puzzled expression on his face sensing the truth in my words.

"And how pray tell did you come to suspect that? I've never used my Talent in front of you before."

"Simple, I know you didn't detect me following you, so I'm guessing you sensed my presence when I walked through the door and as soon as you did you lashed out instantly with your natural response. The only thing I underestimated was your reaction speed." He nods thoughtfully and then responds,

"Clever deduction and I suppose now your wanting me to tell you what I was doing here? Well I was slipping a few herbs into the town water supply." He says in a casual conversational tone, all the while maintaining a ready a posture. I'm more than a little surprised, and disappointed that he gave that information up without a fight.

"Why would you tell me that?" I ask suspiciously.

With a coy smile he says, "Look at this from my point of view half-breed, I've been caught, and you've obviously been well trained. I could fight you but you and I both have a Talent up our sleeves so theirs no way to accurately predict who would survive the encounter and I am not so loyal to Steele as to risk my life when you have no evidence to prove that I did this or that I did so on his behalf. You also have a vested interest in avoiding conflict tonight, since I could always claim that **I** was keeping **you** from poisoning the water. So I say we both walk away quietly and we can settle our differences at a later date…when one of us manages to get the upper hand."

"Damn, can't deny it, he's one devious little prick." I think to myself as I consider my options. "Why is Steele poisoning the town's water? What does he gain from it?" I ask with a voice like ice. The bastard just chuckles,

"I've said all I'm going to half-breed, now make your choice, do we fight or walk away?"

While I hate to say it he's got me, slowly I lower my tan-to and say, "I'll be keeping an eye on you."

"And we on you mongrel." He says with a smirk as he walks by and disappears into the darkness and snow.

I stare into the darkness where he vanished and silently vow to myself, "I will find out what Steele is up to, and put a stop to it."


	25. Chapter 24

A/N: Who's ready for another update? Short one but hey, if you complain I'll disappear to battle personal demons for another year.

"You're late." Jenna says with a stern expression as I walk up the steps to her porch. It's late, very late. The whole way over here I've been debating what to tell her, the truth? What if she panics? I don't have any proof that Steele is behind it, and it would be my word against Star's that he was even there in the first place and with the way most people think of me its no mystery who they would believe. I did manage to get a sample of the plant Star was placing in the towns' water supply. A small red leaf sits in my pocket ready to be taken back to Boris for some study. The fact that study is required worries me, Boris has drilled an almost encyclopedic knowledge of herbs and poisons into me and yet I've never seen this plant before today.

"Sorry Jenna. Boris had a few training drills he wanted me to run through before I left." I lie. I try to ease my conscience by telling myself that causing panic would do nobody any good, but it just doesn't quite work. To make matters worse she seems to take my explanation at face value. Her face softens then turns thoughtful as she considers what I've just said.

"Training? For what?" She asks as she pulls her thick brown jacket tighter around her with a slight shiver.

Noticing the movement I get an idea, "It might be easier to show you. Come on." I say, holding out my hand. She looks questioningly at me, but before she can question me I cut her off, "Trust me." Then with a nod she takes my hand and I lead her out into the snow. I try not to think too much about how nice her hand feels in mine but that is a tall order indeed. We walk for only minute or two when we get to our destination, a dark alley between the bakery and flower shop.

"Wow, you sure know how to treat a lady." Jenna says sarcastically as she looks in disgust at the trash and crates in between the two buildings.

"Patience, I promise there is a reason I brought you here." I say with a smirk, and then I begin to explain. "Sometimes we get to caught up in routine, we accept things we see everyday in one light when they can be viewed in different lights all the time, like here for instance. What do you see?"

She gives me a strange look, no doubt wondering where I'm going with this, but she looks again and answers with a shrug, "A dirty, trash filled alley."

"And in one light, you are correct but you're only viewing things the easy way. You're not really thinking the problem through. Wanna know what I see?" She nods, still with a puzzled expression on her face. "I see a way onto the roof." She scrunches her face up in confusion then looks as if she is about to speak, when suddenly her eyes light up and she exclaims.

"The crates!"

"Not bad. Watch." Then without another word I take off, using the force of my short sprint I leap of the crates and grab the ledge about ten feet of the ground, of course my leap almost carries me over the ledge but I figure this is just the right height for Jenna. As soon as I reach the top I turn around and look down at Jenna. "You coming?" She looks like she's about to protest when suddenly a fierce look comes over her face and she takes off attempting to mimic my movements. She looks like she's got it; she pushes off the crates and lets her momentum carry her up the wall quite well, if not expertly. Then suddenly her momentum ceases just out of reach of the ledge! Her eyes grow wide with fear a she realizes she's falling!


	26. Chapter 25

A/N: Hey guys what's up? Sorry about the delay but I wrote this chapter while I was away in the beautiful country of Jamaica! I was there on a mission trip working with kids over there and I had a blast! If you have any questions feel free to message me. Anyway, on with the story!

Chapter 25

With reflexes honed by years of relentless training, I reach out, grabbing her wrist and stop her fall. Then with my supernatural strength I lift her up and rest her feet gently on the ledge, she doesn't even have time to gasp before we are standing inches apart on the ledge. Before she even realizes what's happened she's staring at my chest, eyes stilling registering the fear of falling. Then the long anticipated gasp comes as she shyly looks up into my eyes. Time slows and I find myself incapable of looking away from those green eyes. Eyes that are beautiful not just because of their emerald shade, but because in them I see intelligence, caring and a fire that speaks of courage and passion, but what fascinates me the most is what I DON'T see. Fear, disgust, loathing, anger, hatred, and all the things I've grown accustomed to seeing in all the eyes around me, they aren't there and I have no idea why. I'm startled out of my thoughts by a question I never thought I'd hear not even in my wildest dreams.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Now I see nervousness creep into her eyes as she waits for my answer, just as I find myself remembering the first time I saw Jenna…

6 years, 8 months and 12 days ago.

"Now listen shchenock, I don't like it any more than you do but if someone comes knocking on the shop door while I'm away you should just ignore it. These superstitious idiots wouldn't take the news that you've been helping me on their orders very well, so while I'm out running errands you just keep working and stay out of sight. Clear?"

"Clear, Boris." I say with excitement, after I turned thirteen Boris decided I was old enough to mind the shop by myself for a few hours and I don't want to mess my first time up.

Boris looks at me like he's about to say something else, then simply nods and walks out of the shop. I immediately get to work on Miss Cathays order of chairs and simply enjoy the peace and quiet. Every now and then I'll hear a knock at the door but I simply ignore it until the people outside go away. This continues for several hours until about the time I'm expecting Boris to return and I hear the little bell over the shop door ring. I turn, covered in sawdust and sweat to greet to greet Boris, only it isn't him. It's a girl around my age, though considerably shorter with fiery red hair. She hasn't seen me yet as she's turned away speaking to someone behind her

"I'll see if Mr. Boris is in for you Daddy." She says as she turns around and I catch a glimpse of the most beautiful girl in the world. Smooth, flawless skin, with an attractive face and beautiful green eyes, I'm stunned and can't stop staring from behind the counter. The girl hasn't seen me yet as I'm just out of her line of sight but as she turns I feel a sudden impact on my back and collapse onto the floor behind the counter.

"Ah the little Miss Rozenweig, to what do I owe the pleasure?" I hear Boris say standing over me. I look over my shoulder and see the open window behind me and realize what happened.

"That bastard dove through the window and kicked me!" I think indignantly, I'm broken out of my angry thoughts by Boris finishing his conversation with the girl.

"I think I can fill that order in about week, tell your father ill take care of it."

"Thank you, I will. Bye, Mr. Boris!" She yells as she runs out the door. Finally I manage to make it to my feet and stare at where she was just standing.

"Who was that?" I ask Boris in an awestruck voice. Boris doesn't answer at first; he just looks at me with a strange expression that looks proud and a little sad at the same time. Then he says the name that captured my mind and heart instantly.

"Jenna."

Present Day.

My memories are interrupted by another sharp intake of breath, but this one sounds like she's fighting back tears. I've taken to long to answer and she's assumed the worst. She roughly pushes past me and begins to walk towards the ladder on the opposite side of the roof. I reach out towards her, my only frantic thought, "I can't let her leave like this!"


End file.
